Exercise apparatus adjustable for sidewise moving

ABSTRACT

An exercise apparatus includes a base having an upright support, two brackets attached to the upright support and adjustable relative to upright support between a forwardly directed position and a sidewise directed position, and two foot supports pivotally attached to the brackets and to be pivoted and swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to the brackets and the upright support when the brackets are attached to the carrier at the forwardly directed position, and the foot supports are allowed to be pivoted and swung sidewise relative to the brackets and the upright support when the brackets are attached to the upright support at the sidewise directed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus, and more particularly to an exercise apparatus including a structure adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercise and adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a sidewise moving exercise.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercise apparatuses have been developed and provided for conducting or operating various exercises, and comprise a pair of foot pedals or foot supports movably disposed or attached or mounted or secured on a supporting base and capable of moving forwardly and rearwardly for simulating the stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercises.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,141 to Vittone, U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,430 to Stearns et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,485 to Maresh, U.S. Pat. No. 6,361,476 to Eschenbach, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,485,072 to Chuang et al. disclose several of the typical exercise apparatuses each comprising a pair of foot pedals or foot supports movably disposed or attached or mounted or secured on a supporting base for supporting the user thereon, and the foot pedals or foot supports movable elliptically relative to the supporting base for allowing the user to conduct or actuate or operate the typical exercise apparatuses to simulate the stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercises.

However, the foot pedals or foot supports are normally attached or mounted or secured or supported on the supporting base with the lateral pivot pins or shafts and may only be moved forwardly and rearwardly for simulating the stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercises, but the lateral pivot pins or shafts may not be pivoted or rotated or adjusted relative to the supporting base and may not be adjusted and moved sidewise selectively.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional exercise apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an exercise apparatus including a structure adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercise and adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a sidewise moving exercise.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising a base including an upright support extended upwardly therefrom, two brackets attached to the upright support and adjustable relative to upright support between a first and forwardly directed position and a second and sidewise directed position, and two foot supports pivotally attached to the brackets respectively for allowing the foot supports to be pivoted and swung relative to the brackets respectively, and the foot supports are allowed to be pivoted and swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to the brackets and the upright support when the brackets are attached to the upright support at the first and forwardly directed position, and the foot supports are allowed to be pivoted and swung sidewise relative to the brackets and the upright support when the brackets are attached to the upright support at the second and sidewise directed position.

The upright support includes a supporting lever extended therefrom for supporting the brackets. The upright support includes two anchor devices attached or mounted or secured to the supporting lever for engaging with the brackets respectively and for anchoring the brackets to the upright support either at the first and forwardly directed position or at the second and sidewise directed position.

The anchor devices each include a bore formed therein, and the brackets each include a stem extended therefrom for pivotally or rotatably engaging with or into the bore of the anchor device and for allowing the brackets to be pivoted or rotated and adjusted relative to upright support and the anchor device between the first and forwardly directed position and the second and sidewise directed position.

A first of the brackets includes two engaging notches formed therein and ninety (90) degrees apart from each other, and a first of the anchor devices includes a spring-biased projection for selectively engaging with either of the engaging notches of the first bracket and for anchoring and retaining the first bracket to the first anchor device either at the first and forwardly directed position or at the second and sidewise directed position.

The first bracket includes a knob engaged with or attached or mounted or secured to the stem of the first bracket for anchoring or retaining the stem of the first bracket to the first anchor device and for rotating the first bracket relative to the first anchor device either to the first and forwardly directed position or to the second and sidewise directed position.

The foot supports each include a beam, a foot pedal disposed on the beam, and a link coupled between the beam and the bracket for pivotally or rotatably coupling the front portion of the beam to the upright support with the bracket. The base includes an upright column extended upwardly from the rear portion thereof, and the foot supports each include a rod coupled between the beam and the upright column for pivotally or rotatably coupling the rear portion of the beam to the upright column.

The base includes a supporting shaft extended from the upright column, and two barrels rotatably attached to the supporting shaft and pivotally attached to the rod with a pivot pin for allowing the rod and the beam and thus the foot pedals of the foot support to be pivoted or rotated or swung relative to the supporting shaft and the upright column and the supporting base either forwardly and rearwardly with the barrels or sidewise with the pivot pin. The link is coupled to the beam with a coupler which is pivotable or rotateable or adjustable relative to the beam when the link and the respective bracket are pivoted or rotated or adjusted relative to the supporting lever and/or the upright support between the first or forwardly directed position and the second or sidewise directed position.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the exercise apparatus;

FIG. 3 is another partial exploded view of the exercise apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the exercise apparatus, in which a portion or one half of the exercise apparatus has been cut off for showing the inner structure of the exercise apparatus;

FIG. 5 is another enlarged partial perspective view of the exercise apparatus, similar to FIG. 4, in which a portion of the exercise apparatus has been cut off for showing the inner structure of the exercise apparatus and for illustrating the adjusting operation of the exercise apparatus;

FIGS. 6, 7 are perspective views similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the operation of the exercise apparatus; and

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 are perspective views similar to FIGS. 1 and 6-7, illustrating the operation of the exercise apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exercise apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a supporting base 10, and an upright support 11 extended upwardly from the supporting base 10, such as extended upwardly from the front portion 12 of the supporting base 10, and an upright column 13 extended upwardly from the supporting base 10, such as extended upwardly from the rear portion 14 of the supporting base 10, and a handle 15 may further be provided and attached or mounted or secured to or extended from the upright support 11 for supporting the upper portion of the user, and an arm or hand grip 16 may further be provided and attached or mounted or secured to or extended from the upright support 11 and the upright column 13 for solidly and stably connecting or coupling the upright support 11 and the upright column 13 together and for supporting the side portion of the user.

The supporting base 10 further includes a supporting arm or beam or lever 17 laterally extended from the upright support 11, such as laterally extended from the upper portion of the upright support 11, and preferably, but not necessarily that the supporting lever 17 is perpendicular to the upright support 11, and further includes a supporting axle or shaft 18 laterally extended from the upright column 13, such as laterally extended from the upper portion of the upright column 13, and preferably, but not necessarily that the supporting axle or shaft 18 is perpendicular to the upright column 13. A display or screen or control device 19 may further be provided and attached or mounted or secured to the upright support 11 or the upright column 13 for showing or displaying various data or information of the exercise apparatus and/or the user.

Two anchor devices 20 are attached or mounted or secured to the supporting lever 17, such as attached or mounted or secured to the end portions 171 of the supporting lever 17 respectively, and each include a cylindrical shape or structure having a bore 21 formed therein (FIGS. 2-5), and each include a conduit or duct 22 laterally extended therefrom and having a bore 23 formed therein for receiving or engaging with a spring-biased projection 24 which is partially extended into the bore 21 of the anchor device 20 (FIGS. 4, 5). The anchor devices 20 are solidly and stably attached or mounted or secured to the supporting lever 17 with latches or fasteners (not shown), or with welding or soldering procedures, and perpendicular to the supporting lever 17, and the bore 21 of the anchor device 20 is opened or directed upwardly and downwardly relative to the supporting base 10 and the supporting lever 17.

Two brackets 30, such as U-shaped brackets 30 each include a stem 31 extended therefrom and extended or engaged through the bore 21 of the respective anchor device 20 for allowing the stem 31 of the bracket 30 to be pivoted or rotated relative to the anchor device 20 and the supporting lever 17 of the upright support 11, and each include one or more (such as two) engaging notches 32, 33 formed therein and ninety (90) degrees apart from each other for selectively engaging with the spring-biased projection 24 which may be engaged with either of the engaging notches 32, 33 of the stem 31 of the respective bracket 30, for selectively anchoring or securing or positioning or retaining the stem 31 of the bracket 30 to the anchor device 20 and the supporting lever 17 of the upright support 11 at different or required or predetermined angular positions.

A sleeve 34 and/or a hand grip or knob 35 may further be provided and attached or mounted or secured or engaged with the stem 31 for pivotally or rotatably anchoring or securing or retaining the stem 31 of the bracket 30 to the anchor device 20 and the supporting lever 17 of the upright support 11 and/or for pivotally or rotatably anchoring or securing or retaining the anchor device 20 between the bracket 30 and the sleeve 34, and for rotating the stem 31 of the bracket 30 relative to the anchor device 20 to the different or required or predetermined angular positions. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-10, the bracket 30 may be pivoted or rotated relative to the supporting lever 17 and/or the upright support 11 between a first or forwardly directed position (FIGS. 1, 4, and 6-7) and a second or sidewise directed position (FIGS. 5, and 8-10), in which the first or forwardly directed position and the second or sidewise directed position are also ninety (90) degrees apart from each other.

Two foot supports 50 each include a beam 51 having a foot pedal 52 provided and disposed or attached or mounted or secured thereon for supporting the user thereon, a link 53 having a lower portion 54 pivotally or rotatably and adjustably attached or mounted or secured to the front portion 55 of each of the beams 51 with another bracket or coupler 56, and having an upper portion 57 pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the respective bracket 30 with a pivot shaft or axle 58 for allowing the beam 51 and the link 53 to be pivoted or rotated or swung relative to the bracket 30 and the supporting lever 17 and the supporting base 10 (FIGS. 1, and 6-10). The coupler 56 may also be pivoted or rotated or adjusted relative to the beam 51 when the link 53 and the respective bracket 30 are pivoted or rotated or adjusted relative to the supporting lever 17 and/or the upright support 11 between the first or forwardly directed position and the second or sidewise directed position.

The foot supports 50 each further include a rod 60 having a lower portion 61 pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the rear portion 59 of the beam 51 and having an upper portion 62 pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the supporting shaft 18. For example, two barrels 63 are pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the supporting shaft 18, and the upper portion 62 of the rod 60 is pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured to the respective barrel 63 with a pivot pin 64 which is perpendicular to the barrel 63 for allowing the rod 60 and the beam 51 and thus the foot pedals 52 of the foot support 50 to be pivoted or rotated or swung relative to the supporting shaft 18 and the upright column 13 and the supporting base 10 either forwardly and rearwardly with the barrel 63 or sidewise with the pivot pin 64.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6-7, when the bracket 30 is attached or mounted or secured to the anchor device 20 and the supporting lever 17 at the first or forwardly directed position (FIG. 4), the links 53 and the beams 51 and the rods 60 and the foot pedals 52 of the foot support 50 may be pivoted or rotated or swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to the supporting lever 17 and the supporting base 10 for simulating the stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercises (FIGS. 1 and 6-7). As shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 30 may be adjusted and attached or mounted or secured to the anchor device 20 and the supporting lever 17 at the second or sidewise directed position with the knob 35, at this moment, the links 53 and the beams 51 and the rods 60 and the foot pedals 52 of the foot support 50 may be pivoted or rotated or swung sidewise relative to the supporting lever 17 and the supporting base 10 for simulating the splitting exercises (FIG. 8) or sidewise swinging exercises (FIGS. 9, 10).

It is to be noted that the links 53 and the beams 51 may be pivotally or rotatably and adjustably attached or mounted or secured together with the brackets 56 for allowing the brackets 56 and the links 53 to be pivoted or rotated or adjusted relative to the beam 51, and the rod 60 and the beam 51 and thus the foot pedals 52 of the foot support 50 may be pivoted or rotated or swung relative to the supporting shaft 18 and the upright column 13 and the supporting base 10 either forwardly and rearwardly with the barrel 63 or sidewise with the pivot pin 64.

Accordingly, the exercise apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a structure adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a stepping or walking or jogging or striding exercise and adjustable for being selectively and adjustably operated as a sidewise moving exercise.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

I claim:
 1. An exercise apparatus comprising: a base including an upright support extended upwardly therefrom, two brackets attached to said upright support and adjustable relative to upright support between a first and forwardly directed position and a second and sidewise directed position, and two foot supports pivotally attached to said brackets respectively for allowing said foot supports to be pivoted and swung relative to said brackets respectively, and said foot supports being allowed to be pivoted and swung forwardly and rearwardly relative to said brackets and said upright support when said brackets are attached to said upright support at said first and forwardly directed position, and said foot supports being allowed to be pivoted and swung sidewise relative to said brackets and said upright support when said brackets are attached to said upright support at said second and sidewise directed position.
 2. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upright support includes a supporting lever extended therefrom for supporting said brackets.
 3. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upright support includes two anchor devices for engaging with said brackets respectively and for anchoring said brackets to said upright support either at said first and forwardly directed position or at said second and sidewise directed position.
 4. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said anchor devices each include a bore formed therein, and said brackets each include a stem extended therefrom for engaging with said bore of said anchor device.
 5. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first of said brackets includes two engaging notches formed therein and ninety (90) degrees apart from each other, and a first of said anchor devices includes a spring-biased projection for selectively engaging with either of said engaging notches of said first bracket and for anchoring and retaining said first bracket to said first anchor device either at said first and forwardly directed position or at said second and sidewise directed position.
 6. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first bracket includes a knob engaged with said stem of said first bracket for rotating said first bracket relative to said first anchor device.
 7. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said foot supports each include a beam, a foot pedal disposed on said beam, and a link coupled between said beam and said bracket.
 8. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said base includes an upright column extended upwardly therefrom, and said foot supports each include a rod coupled between said beam and said upright column.
 9. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said base includes a supporting shaft extended from said upright column, and two barrels rotatably attached to said supporting shaft and pivotally attached to said rod with a pivot pin.
 10. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said link is coupled to said beam with a coupler. 